Larry Brown Sports

Eric Bledsoe did his best Blake Griffin impression on Friday night by ferociously throwing down a lob from Chris Paul during the Clippers’ 97-85 win over the Sacramento Kings. The third-year guard got crazy height on his jump, and he went flying through the air to power home the pass from CP3 in the final minute of the game.

Bledsoe only had six points and a horrific seven turnovers in 19 minutes, but his ridiculous dunk is what people will remember. That much height and that much power from a guy who’s only 6-foot-1? If he entered the dunk contest, he could probably put on a show like Nate Robinson. My goodness. Lob City indeed.

Chris Paul tweeted the following after the game:

S/O to my lil bro @ebled24 who just keeps finding a way to do somethin amazing every nite…that dunk and that block 2nite!!! #SkyIsTheLimit

— Chris Paul (@CP3) December 22, 2012

Let’s also give it up to the Clippers for setting a franchise record with their 12th straight win.

Of all the things Twitter allows us to do, this is by far one of its best uses. Athletes now have a way to instantly send embarrassing photos of their teammates to the entire world. It allows us to see people at their most vulnerable, which is always good for a few laughs. For example, Kevin Love tweeted a picture of several Team USA players sleeping on a recent flight. As you can see, it was a work of art.

Chris Paul definitely takes the cake with the way he’s hugging that pillow, but Anthony Davis is a close second with his massive comforter. I guess an airplane blanket wouldn’t do much good for someone who is nearly 7 feet tall. There’s nothing quite like a good road trip prank.

H/T Pro Basketball Talk

Before Chris Paul was traded to the Clippers, there was a lot of talk about him going to New York to create a new big three along with Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire. As we know, things rarely ever turn out the way people expect them to. Paul is a free agent after next season, and while he has been reportedly recruiting players to come to the Clippers he says he intends to weigh his options in free agency when the year ends. Is there still a possibility of CP3 winding up in New York? We know he loves playing with Blake Griffin and the Clippers have a young core that is only going to improve, but it sounds like Anthony is still holding out hope.

Melo & Chris Paul walked through media room here in Vegas & Melo said, referring to CP3, “You’ll see him in NY in a couple years.”(smiling).

— Jared Zwerling (@JaredZwerling) July 11, 2012

With the way their cap situation looks, it’s unlikely the Knicks would be able to bring a big three together. If Paul signs with the Knicks it would mean they are trading either ‘Melo or Amar’e. CP3 turned down the Clippers’ recent offer of three years and $60 million, but that’s probably because they can offer him a five-year deal when he becomes a free agent next year. My gut tells me he’ll stay in L.A., which would be the smart thing to do given the current state of the Knicks and Clippers. However, we have learned on multiple occasions in the past that things aren’t always that simple. After all, they did already make the toast.

H/T Sports by Brooks Live

When the Clippers traded for Chris Paul last December, it was understood that they would have him short-term unless he agreed to sign an extension with the team. Luckily for the Clippers Paul opted-in for a second season with the team, but he declined their 3-year $60 million contract extension offer last week.

“I know why I didn’t sign my extension,” Paul said on Sunday, according to the New York Daily News. “I’m going to play this season out and see what my options are.

“I love where I am, I love playing with the Clippers and I love playing with this guy (Blake Griffin),” Paul said. “At the end of the year I’ll weigh all my options. That will be my top priority going into next summer.”

It’s commonly believed that Paul elected to pass on the extension so that he could sign a five-year $108 million contract after next season, but his insistence that he’ll keep all his options open could make Clippers fans nervous.

The New York media is still pushing for the Knicks big 3 that Paul reportedly toasted to at Carmelo Anthony’s wedding two years ago. Acquiring Paul would be difficult for them given how much they owe Melo, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Tyson Chandler, so you figure Melo or Amar’e would have to be traded to make a CP3 deal possible.

Paul reportedly has been recruiting players to the Clippers which is a strong indicator that he might be there long-term, but his insistence that he’s keeping his options open should make Clippers fans nervous. And as we saw with Kevin Love’s comments over the weekend, a lot can change in the NBA in a year.

Photo credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

By turning down the three-year, $60 million offer the Clippers extended to him over the weekend, Chris Paul has given L.A. fans a reason to worry. Things are finally starting to look up for their franchise, but what would happen if one of the most important pieces of their future decides to leave town? According to Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld, it doesn’t appear that Clippers fans have to be concerned about that.

It is believed that Paul simply turned down the $60 million offer because he will be eligible for a five-year, $110 million extension after next season. Some people feel as though Paul is looking to see what Dwight Howard does so he can team up with him in 2013, but Kennedy said Paul has spent the past several days “aggressively recruiting for the Clippers.” He has reportedly spoken to a number of free agents in an attempt to sell them on the promising direction the Clippers are headed.

Not only that, but Paul has also been training with and spending down time with the younger players on the team like Eric Bledsoe, Travis Leslie and Trey Thompkins. Paul even reportedly flew Leslie and Thompkins to Las Vegas last weekend for a few parties he was hosting.

It seems to make the most sense for Paul to stay in L.A. rather than continue to bounce around. In Paul’s first season with the team, the Clippers had a winning record and qualified for the playoffs — feats they have accomplished only twice in the past 15 years. With co-stars like Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, Paul has himself in position to be a part of one of the better teams in the West for years to come. From the sound of it, that’s something he fully understands.

Photo credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

The Clippers just did a video vignette honoring Chris Paul as “NBA Offensive Player of the Week.” Umm, that award does not exist.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 5, 2012

That is so Clippers. We’re guessing they meant to say Chris Paul won “NBA Player of the Week” for games played through April 1 last week (Paul Pierce won the award in the Eastern Conference). Or maybe Dave McMenamin is mistaken, and the Clippers were honoring Chris Paul for most offensive play of the week — the one where he was stripped by Metta World Peace late in the game on Wednesday night.

Chris Paul hit the winning shot for the Clippers in their 98-97 victory over the Trail Blazers Friday, and by virtue of being the game’s hero, he got to choose who he engaged in his postgame celebration. CP3 spread the love by high-fiving some fans, but he left Sugar Ray singer and noted Lakers fan Mark McGrath hanging on a fist pound. Maybe Paul didn’t notice McGrath’s fist all cocked and ready for his potato to be pounded, or maybe he consciously blew him off. Whatever the case, we love it because it gave us an awesome moment in TV history.

The good news is McGrath is taking the snub like a champ, even tweeting about the embarrassing moment that was nationally televised on ESPN’s NBA Friday:

I just got snubbed from a fist bump by Chris Paul on national tv…

— mark mcgrath (@mark_mcgrath) March 31, 2012

McGrath earned some points back with that tweet, but then he gave it all back by acting like a Lakers snob, telling Lakers radio announcer John Ireland he would only attend a Clippers game if he had courtside seats. That’s what you get for acting like you’re slumming it, McGrath!